Here we are, not quite to the middle of December, and yet and we already have a couple of winter storms under our belt. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one brushing the snow off my pumpkins so that I could get them out of the way for the Christmas decorations. The temperatures have also been below average, so I guess there’s no denying that winter has descended upon us. Every year when the weather turns like this, I lose sleep thinking of all the animals who are out there without shelter – especially those confined on a chain or in fencing that doesn’t allow them to seek out some sort of cover. Even after many years of working at the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter, it hasn’t gotten any easier to keep those worries at bay.

This is the first winter that our organization hasn’t been responsible for enforcing animal cruelty laws, but I’m hoping that having regular law enforcement on the job now will be a positive step; at least they have many more people on staff to respond to calls. I hope that you will continue to do your part as vigilant animal advocates by reporting weather-related animal issues to your local police.

There are also new laws taking affect in February that will help protect pets in extreme weather conditions. In actuality, these laws are way overdue, but better late than never. These laws deal with shelter and containment and, since they come into effect in the middle of this winter, it makes sense to have everything in compliance at the onset of the bad weather.

The following are excerpts from a Humane Society of the United States document that helps put the laws into laymen’s terms.

Adverse Environmental Conditions: It is unlawful to expose any dog, domestic companion animal or service animal to adverse environmental conditions for more than 30 minutes, unless the animal has continuous access to proper shelter as set forth below.

Adverse Environmental Conditions means any of the following: 32degrees Fahrenheit or below, or 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above; exposure to direct sunlight, hot pavement, or any other hot surfaces that would pose a risk to the health or safety of the animal; cold weather or precipitation-related environmental conditions including, but not limited to, wind, rain, snow, ice, sleet or hail.

Proper Outdoor Shelter Requirements: Proper shelter must, at all times: Be adequately ventilated so the animal remains dry and maintains a normal body temperature, in an upright position. Allow the animal access to clean, potable water and exposure to natural or artificial light per a regular cycle of day and night. Be soundly constructed, in good repair, have no sharp points or edges, and bmaintained from waste and debris. Provide sufficient space for the animal to easily turn around in a full circle and lie down on its side with limbs outstretched; and when the animal is in a normal sitting position, the top of the animal’s head cannot touch the shelter ceiling. Must be reasonably away from flood areas. Be cleared of snow, precipitation and debris. Must have a floor, insulation to maintain normal body temperature and, if under 32 degrees, a windbreak. Proper shelter DOES NOT include a crawl space, under a vehicle, a structure made with pressure-treated wood containing arsenic or chromium, or with a wire, chain link-type construction, or one made from materials that can easily denigrate from the elements. Even if shelter requirements are met, if the size, type, condition or type of animal puts the animal in danger of the elements, and normal body temperature cannot be maintained, it can be ordered to be taken inside.

Now, I hate to sound sarcastic, but doesn’t all that seem like common sense? There are other aspects of the new law that we’ll cover at another time, but I’m very happy that we now have a version of Code Blue laws that will help us protect pets from suffering. I’ve seen firsthand the results of animals who have been subject to frostbite and even death because their owners failed to provide protection from the elements; it’s the stuff of nightmares. Please play your part by reporting possible cases of cruelty and neglect to your police department.

Now that our organization is no longer investigating reports of animal cruelty, there has been some confusion on whom to call when people have concerns about an animal’s welfare. If you suspect cruelty or neglect of a pet, your first call should be to your local police department. At that point, the initial response will probably be handled by the municipality’s animal control officer (ACO), and either corrected or turned over to a police officer if prosecution is required. The Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office along with our state and local police departments are working hard to meet the demands of this new caseload. It will require an adjustment period as these agencies must receive training in regards to the statutes and acquire knowledge and assistance with pet health issues.

The ACOs in Cumberland and Salem counties are experienced professionals in companion animal welfare and laws. Although they do not have, and have not had, the authority to enforce animal cruelty laws, they have the knowledge to handle the preliminary stages of an investigation and call in the necessary powers. They are also responsible for laws and ordinances pertaining to licensing, animals running at large, bite cases, and lost and found pets.

In the past few weeks, there have been a couple of cases that involved pets that were found and assumed by their finders to be victims of neglect – two skinny dogs, to be exact. In one case, the dog was taken to a vet by the finder, where it was determined to be old and sickly. The ACO was called and the dog was transported from the vet’s office to South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter with a load of medications. Within an hour of arriving at the shelter, the owner had been identified and had proof that the dog was already under veterinary care. It was unfortunate that the dog had to go through being lost, found, taken to the vet and taken to the shelter before he made it home, but in the long run, the system worked.

In the second case, a dog was found and plastered all over social media as being skinny and in bad shape. The posts were forwarded to the ACO, who then instructed the finder to provide the address where it could be picked up or to take the dog to the shelter themselves the following morning. A day went by … no dog, no call. Two days went by … no dog, no call. The ACO was also blocked from the social media site of the finder. In the meantime, the owner had called in a lost report, but the ACO had no information on the finder. It turned out that the owner had recently acquired the dog and actually had been working to address his weight and health issues. For four days, the ACO investigated the identity of the finder and was able to locate the individual, who then lied by stating that the dog had run off and was no longer in their possession. At that point, a police officer had to get involved because the owner had gone to the police station and made a potential theft report. In this case, it took the threat of arrest in order to have the dog reunited with the owner.

To sum this all up, please keep these few things in mind:

Call your local police department to report suspected cases of animal cruelty or neglect. Do not take matters into your own hands.

Pets are considered property. You can be charged with theft if you keep a stray without going through the proper channels.

The current enforcement system for animal cruelty laws is new in the state of New Jersey. It will take time for things to be ironed out and handled smoothly.

The animals still need you to be their advocate and their voice. Don’t hesitate to call the shelter if you need advice or assistance in helping an animal in need.

After several months of frustration and anticipation, we are very pleased that our former governor signed into law a bill that moves the enforcement of animal cruelty laws away from the New Jersey SPCA and into the county prosecutor’s offices. This is a much-needed advancement in the protection of domestic animals that, quite frankly, was decades overdue.

Our society in Cumberland County received its charter as a county branch of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 1915. Perhaps, more than 100 years ago, the system of having a charitable organization of volunteers was adequate to respond to reports of animal cruelty and neglect – but certainly not in today’s world.

When I first became involved with the Cumberland County SPCA back in the 1980s, almost every report of cruelty or neglect that we received involved a skinny dog, a dog without water or a dog without shelter. Rarely, if ever, did our agents need to have a police escort into any of our neighborhoods; it was a very different time. The nature of abuses that the animals suffer has become more heinous. By the mid-1990s, we saw dogs being hanged in a city park and drowned in weighted crates in the river, and an incredible rise of the popularity of dogfighting and cockfighting throughout the county. The perpetrators have become violent and there often are other concerns, such as weapons and drugs, on the properties to which we respond. The cases are much more complicated to prosecute, and the streets much more dangerous for our investigators.

The new law requires the county prosecutor to establish “within the office of the prosecutor, a county prosecutor animal cruelty task force which would be responsible for animal welfare within the jurisdiction of the county, and enforce and abide by the animal cruelty laws of the state.” It also requires all municipalities to have a humane law enforcement officer properly commissioned to enforce the cruelty laws.

The transition of enforcement powers from the SPCAs to the prosecutors must be achieved within the next six months, but it will certainly take much longer to educate the new enforcers and to establish an effective and committed task force. We hope to work with our own county prosecutor’s office to make the transition as smooth as possible.

As far as the big picture for our organization is concerned, the only major difference is that we will not be responding to reports of cruelty once the transition has been made. We will, however, continue to act as advocates for the pets in our community as well as for our residents that need help with animal-related issues. Our shelter and clinic services will continue without interruption.

2017 was a very difficult and trying year for us, both as the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter and as the Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. And 2018 promises to be challenging as well. But with the changes in law enforcement and new contracts being negotiated with the municipalities whose stray animals we house, we are hopeful that it will be a year of growth and progress. Through all of the trials and tribulations of the past year, your voice has been invaluable in helping us secure our future. We want to thank all of you who have supported us by communicating with our local and state government officials on our behalf.

After several months of frustration and anticipation, we are very pleased that our former governor signed into law a bill that moves the enforcement of animal cruelty laws away from the New Jersey SPCA and into the county prosecutor’s offices. This is a much-needed advancement in the protection of domestic animals that, quite frankly, was decades overdue.Our society in Cumberland County received its charter as a county branch of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 1915. Perhaps, more than 100 years ago, the system of having a charitable organization of volunteers was adequate to respond to reports of animal cruelty and neglect – but certainly not in today’s world.

When I first became involved with the Cumberland County SPCA back in the 1980s, almost every report of cruelty or neglect that we received involved a skinny dog, a dog without water or a dog without shelter. Rarely, if ever, did our agents need to have a police escort into any of our neighborhoods; it was a very different time. The nature of abuses that the animals suffer has become more heinous. By the mid-1990s, we saw dogs being hanged in a city park and drowned in weighted crates in the river, and an incredible rise of the popularity of dogfighting and cockfighting throughout the county. The perpetrators have become violent and there often are other concerns, such as weapons and drugs, on the properties to which we respond. The cases are much more complicated to prosecute, and the streets much more dangerous for our investigators.More: Fanucci keys on business in State of the City addressMore: Juvenile uninjured after crashing school busThe new law requires the county prosecutor to establish “within the office of the prosecutor, a county prosecutor animal cruelty task force which would be responsible for animal welfare within the jurisdiction of the county, and enforce and abide by the animal cruelty laws of the state.” It also requires all municipalities to have a humane law enforcement officer properly commissioned to enforce the cruelty laws.

The transition of enforcement powers from the SPCAs to the prosecutors must be achieved within the next six months, but it will certainly take much longer to educate the new enforcers and to establish an effective and committed task force. We hope to work with our own county prosecutor’s office to make the transition as smooth as possible.

As far as the big picture for our organization is concerned, the only major difference is that we will not be responding to reports of cruelty once the transition has been made. We will, however, continue to act as advocates for the pets in our community as well as for our residents that need help with animal-related issues. Our shelter and clinic services will continue without interruption.2017 was a very difficult and trying year for us, both as the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter and as the Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. And 2018 promises to be challenging as well. But with the changes in law enforcement and new contracts being negotiated with the municipalities whose stray animals we house, we are hopeful that it will be a year of growth and progress. Through all of the trials and tribulations of the past year, your voice has been invaluable in helping us secure our future. We want to thank all of you who have supported us by communicating with our local and state government officials on our behalf.

It’s the most magical time of the year, and we’re feeling the holiday spirit at the Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals! We’re hoping to share the holiday spirit with our supporters, and there’s quite a bit going on in the shelter to update you on. Due to the physical manifestation of holiday joy as actual snow this weekend, our Tree of Hope lighting was postponed until 6:30 p.m. this Wednesday, Dec. 13. Please join us at the shelter as we share delicious holiday treats and hot cocoa prepared by our volunteers, enjoy our holiday decorations, and meet adoptable pets looking for their own homes for the holidays. At 6:30, we will display our memorial slideshow of photos sent in by our supporters who donated a light. Then we will watch as the tree is lit, each light reminding us of the value of each animal who touches our lives. Please consider joining us for this special event.

We also will kick off our holiday promotion. Our “Isle of Misfit” adoptable dogs and cats are hoping to find a home for the holidays and are available for only $25 for cats and $50 for dogs. You can identify our holiday misfits by the signs on their kennels and cages. What makes an animal a misfit? Just as in the classic Rudolph movie, there is nothing wrong with them; they are just different and overlooked! We hope that highlighting these special animals will encourage our adopters to give them a home for holidays. This year, we also will offer Santa Express deliveries! Santa’s elves are eagerly awaiting their opportunities to deliver newly adopted pets to their families on Christmas morning. Please see our front office for more information.

Meanwhile, to add to the holiday chaos, our cruelty agents spent the day before the snow rescuing a litter of 2-week-old puppies from the elements in the woods. The puppies were brought to the shelter, where they immediately went into foster care with our staff to be bottle-fed. As the puppies were in great health, we knew there was a mama dog out there. Our foster coordinator and agent again went to the woods and spent hours searching for mama in the snow. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to find any signs of her, but we aren’t giving up and the puppies are doing very well in foster care in the meantime. We expect that the pit bull mix puppies, which we’ve named the “Mafia Litter,” will be ready to find forever homes in five to six weeks.Pup Caught On Video Trying to Escape Shelter. APWe have a serious shortage of puppy supplies at the shelter! We are urgently seeking donations of Esbilac Puppy Milk Replacer, A/D Diet critical care canned food (can be obtained at a veterinarian’s office), and pate canned puppy food. We also will need high-quality puppy kibble when they are reading to start eating on their own.

And believe it or not, kittens – including even bottle babies – continue to pour into the shelter! Our kitten supplies have dwindled after a long, relentless kitten season. We urgently need dye-free cat and kitten food (such as Purina kitten and cat chow), pate canned food, A/D Diet and especially Snuggle Safe microwavable heat pads. As the nights become chillier, it’s essential that we are able to keep our smallest residents toasty warm, and Snuggle Safes are the best way to do so. As the holiday spirit continues, we ask you to keep the shelter in mind. We hope to see you Wednesday for the Tree of Hope lighting. All donations for our puppies and kittens, as well as our adults, are so greatly appreciated. And we are truly hoping that those of you considering bringing a homeless pet home for the holidays will visit the shelter and meet our Misfits.Happy holidays!

Well, last week certainly was interesting – first in terms of animal sheltering in Cumberland and Salem counties, and then animal cruelty law enforcement in New Jersey.The State Commission of Investigation report on the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was dismal on all counts. Although we received our initial charter from them back in the 1940s, we are a completely separate entity and are not a subject of those findings. The SCI has suggested that enforcement powers should be placed in the hands of animal control officers (ACOs) that work under the auspices of police or health departments. The Legislature will have to decide how to move forward to ensure that the enforcement powers are in the hands of trained people with the resources and oversight necessary to meet the extreme demands of animal cruelty investigations in today’s world.

There is no simple answer, but it’s time for some serious consideration from the state of New Jersey on these matters. If the state and county SPCAs are to remain in charge of upholding these laws, they must be properly organized and overseen as all other law enforcement entities in the state are. They must be afforded the resources to properly investigate and prosecute when necessary. They cannot remain in this blurred atmosphere of being a nonprofit, volunteer organization and an instrumentality of the government at the same time.More: Here’s why the SPCA shelter can’t survive

If the SPCAs are disbanded, it’s not just a simple matter of having animal control officers take over their duties. Unless counties provide county-run animal control for their cities, many municipalities contract out with private ACOs. These private contractors do not fall under the police or health departments, and would therefore not meet the criteria suggested in the SCI report. Counties and cities that provide animal control, such as Gloucester and Vineland, would need to have their ACOs go through training for humane law enforcement and would most probably need to increase the number of officers they have available. Humane law enforcement officers (HLEOs) work long days conducting investigations as well as time spent preparing and going to court. It can’t be accomplished on an 8-to-4 basis, and there would also need to be an HLEO on call for emergencies.

In the case of humane law enforcement, the state of New Jersey has failed to step up to enforcing today’s standards of protecting our animals by leaving a system in place that has not been changed since its inception during the mid-1800s. In the case of our South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter, we need our local government entities to take some responsibility and reflect the compassionate nature of our residents that have put them in office. No matter how or what happens, it will take money to address the needs and protections of our animals; perhaps that’s why these things haven’t been properly dealt with in the past. Ya think?

In responding to reports of animal neglect and cruelty, we sometimes come across situations where our concern for the people involved is just as great as it is for the animals. Often when pets are at risk, the people that own or care for them are also facing issues such as abuse and poverty.In a recent investigation at the Cumberland County SPCA, we were reminded that there are many elderly folks out there who lack financial stability and have no family or support network to fall back on. They are often extremely attached to their pets, as their animals are their main source of comfort and companionship.

So what is to be done when a senior hasn’t the means to care for their pet properly? Removing the animal is a lousy choice, because it then leaves the person without what may very well be one of the few joys in their life. Resources to assist the owners may be limited, but the one thing we can all do is be proactive in addressing these types of situations before they become serious.Case in point: Our investigators responded to a report involving an injured cat in need of veterinary care. When they arrived at the property, they knocked on the door and were greeted by an elderly lady. It was too late for the animal that initially was involved, as it had already passed away. There were, however, two cats inside the house that were suffering severe flea infestations to the point of having major hair loss and anemia. The woman, who was displaying some signs of dementia, also was covered in fleas. She had no running water in the house, and a neighbor had hooked up a hose so that she could flush the toilet. She was also receiving some help from another benevolent organization to pay her utility bills. She has no car, no family and no other help.

Now what? We can remove the cats, but that will only make the flea infestation worse in the house and, in turn, for the owner. We could help her get flea medication for the cats, but the house would have to be treated and she is unable to do it herself, and she would have no place to go during the treatment. Even just using over-the-counter flea bombs would be a huge risk, because they are so flammable and because there is no guarantee the lady would stay out of the house during the treatment or be able to do the necessary cleanup afterwards.Because of the severity of the problems, this is a no-win situation. Beyond concern for the cats, the lady herself is in serious need of help. I have alerted the necessary senior services organizations and hope they will be able to step in and help her. In the meantime, we are helping with the cats and will remove them if necessary. I wish, though, that someone had been aware of her situation sooner and had alerted the relative service organizations before things had gotten so bad. Whether it was pride or disability that prevented her from asking for help herself, it’s a shame that she and the cats have been suffering and have reached this level of hardship.J

If you have elderly neighbors or acquaintances who have pets, there are many small ways that you can help look out for them. Consider offering transportation to the vet’s office, helping them shop for heavy items like cat litter and bags of food, taking their dogs for a walk on occasion, or just looking in on them every once in a while. Remember, too, it doesn’t have to be a report of cruelty or neglect; you can always contact us with calls of concern.

Our Fourth of July weekend started out with a real bang here at the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter! I think I must have jinxed myself as I was sitting at my desk last Wednesday, thinking that I might take off on Friday and enjoy an elongated holiday – maybe go to the beach or enjoy the pool while the weather is right for it. No sooner had the thought crossed my mind when the animal control officer from Bridgeton called my cellphone with a frantic “I need help!”Apparently he was standing in the midst of 30 to 40 dogs on two adjacent properties, and the owners wanted to give up the majority of them because they were in violation of city ordinances and were simply overwhelmed in general. Some of the dogs were in kennels, some in crates, some tied up and others in a fenced-in area. It was near the end of the day and our kennels were nearly full to capacity, so my first question for the ACO was whether the dogs needed to be removed immediately. Although there were some violations, he felt as though the dogs were in no immediate danger and

could wait until we could remove them in an organized manner that would allow us to prepare for the deluge.

Given the fullness of our kennels, I knew that we would need help from one of our shelter partners. Plans were then put into place for St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare

Center to come down and take up to 20 of the dogs back to their shelter up in Morris County. On Friday morning, our shelter staff rolled out with the ACO and removed 25 of the 35 dogs as well as two cats. Each house kept five dogs, which is the legal limit in the city. A date also was set to spay and neuter the dogs remaining on the properties.

As the ACO had described, the dogs were contained in

various ways, none of which was quite up to standards. They were all of good weight but it was obvious that they were flea-infested and, as we later confirmed, intestinal parasites as well. Some had hair loss from flea allergies, and those that required grooming were seriously in need of a “spa day."

If there is a silver lining to this, it is that all the dogs are young and small. About half of them are Chihuahua or Chihuahua mixes, and the others are mostly Havanese mixes. Staff from St. Hubert’s arrived within minutes of our arrival back at the shelter and took 13 of dogs back to their beautiful shelter in Madison.The poor pups were pretty terrified the day we brought them in, but we were able to handle them on their respective properties so they should settle in just fine once we get them calmed down and feeling safe. They are truly adorable, and we hope to have them available for adoption later this week. You can see video of the rescued pets on our website at southjerseyregionalanimalshelter.org.

Sometimes we get lucky enough in life to have a “heart dog” enter our lives. Heart dogs are the dogs that fill a place inside you – a hole that you may not have even known needed to be filled. It’s the dog who is your constant through life’s hills and valleys, and the dog who brought something special to life that no other animal, or person, could. This is very difficult to explain, but if you have had a heart dog, you will know exactly what I am attempting to describe. Recently, one of our staff members lost his heart dog, a dog that he rescued in every sense of the word. I have worked in animal shelters for 15 years, and the story of George and Golden Boy is one of the most beautiful, touching partnerships I have encountered. I can only hope that I do justice in telling their story.

Golden Boy, a 9-year-old pit bull, was rescued by Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals cruelty agents from an abusive and terribly neglectful situation. Although he was skeletally thin, he was found secured to by a heavy chain, huddled on the hard dirt ground. When he arrived at the shelter, he was emaciated, weak and sick.One particular staff member, George, felt a strong draw to Golden Boy from the day he arrived. As Golden Boy became stronger, he became reactive to almost everyone and would bark aggressively in his kennel. He was impossible to handle. He had so few good experiences with humans to draw from that he found it too difficult to trust most people. The exception to this mistrust was George.

George continued to spend lots of time with Golden Boy, and their bond grew. Golden Boy, unfortunately, had to stay in the shelter for months while his case progressed through the justice system. When the case concluded successfully, George knew that Golden Boy needed a place to go. His behavior made him unadoptable and he couldn’t stay at the shelter. The bond was already so strong that George committed to doing whatever needed to be done so that he and Golden Boy could stay together. He built a gorgeous, heated and cooled kennel for Golden Boy and took him home. Remarkably, Golden Boy quickly adjusted to his kennel and was doing so well that he was brought into the house and became part of the family. He made a flawless transition to being a beloved house dog, even enjoying his Chihuahua brothers.

About a year ago, Golden Boy was diagnosed with prostate cancer. We utilized funds from a Grey Muzzle Organization grant for senior dogs to extend his time and keep him comfortable. The extra months that Golden Boy and George had together were a blessing. Knowing that Golden Boy’s time on earth was coming to a close, George filled their everyday together with love and fun.In March, Golden Boy passed away, with George at his side. I know how incredibly difficult his loss was and how he has been missed every day since. George is a man of few words, but sometimes a few words are all that’s needed to convey a big message.

I asked him how he and Golden Boy connected.“Why did Golden Boy and I click? We both needed one another at the time we met. He saved my life and I saved his!”

This month marks the 70th anniversary of the incorporation of the Cumberland County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, but our history goes back much further than that. One hundred and twenty-six years ago, a group of concerned citizens, including a member of the original Landis family of Vineland, organized a chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Animals (SPCCA).Historically, child protection services, where they did exist, were provided by private concerns such as ours. The first Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children didn’t come into being until a group was formally established in New York in 1875. Although we have many of the original minutes from meetings of the CCSPCCA, I could not find anything explaining why, in 1891, our local group decided to take up the cause of both children and animals, but I think it speaks volumes about the compassion of the founders. The turn of the century brought sweeping changes to child protection as the government stepped up to create public agencies for the task, and by 1915 our society was out of child protection business. At that point, we became formally organized and received our charter from the state of New Jersey to become the humane law enforcement entity in Cumberland County for the prevention of cruelty to animals.

In 1947, we were incorporated with our original location listed as 709 Grape St. in Vineland. The president back then was a lady named Laura Sabin, who at some point began building dog kennels onto the back of her house on Sherman Avenue. She left her house to the CCSPCA upon her passing, and that then became our shelter.

Over the years, the house was renovated to become the offices and cat holding areas, and several additions were built on to provide more kennels and a clinic space. As many as 8,000 animals a year were cared for in that ramshackle building until it was finally sold and torn down in 2004.It had been a constant struggle to maintain the crumbling walls of the old kennels, the drainage pipes were deteriorating from all the cleaning chemicals, the roof needing replacing and a surgical clinic would have had to be added in order to meet the needs of the organization in the 21st century. Things were looking rather dismal until our local hospital system decided to build a regional facility right across the street from our little shelter. Sitting on 32 acres, the old shelter was now prime real estate, and the funds from its sale would provide a wonderful opportunity to build a new facility for our homeless animals.

In my 30 years affiliated with the CCSPCA, I’ve seen amazing changes in our organization and in the industry – some good, some not so good.In the old facility, our shelter serviced just a handful of municipalities in housing their stray animals; we now work with as many as 20 in both Cumberland and Salem counties. In spite of taking animals from many more towns, the intake numbers are substantially less due to public awareness and the success of spay and neuter programs. Animal protection laws have been expanded and the penalties have become more severe for offenders.Paige Johnson had a priceless reaction at her college graduation when her boyfriend showed up with a furry, four-legged surprise.

On the not-so-good list, if anyone had told me when I began this job that one breed of dogs would dominate in every shelter in the country, I would never have thought it possible; yet, here we are with pit bulls and pit mixes pouring in as their breeding rates have soared. Some well-intended legislation has actually made it more difficult and more expensive to care for our homeless animals and to provide services for our community pets.More changes are certainly on the horizon, but I want to thank all of you who have been a part of supporting our organization and our animals through the years.